Something Bad
by Gothic984
Summary: Gail pursues her instincts regarding her Aunt Judith and attempts to enlist the help of Selena; however, what she discovers is beyond what she expected.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down, To Beat The Devil, Best Of All Possible Worlds, Little Girl Lost, Wicked Games, Monster Bash, It Takes Two To Tango, Nobody Wins, Down the rabbit hole, Come Together and Make a Memory.

It was a cold, clear late January evening in Trinity South Carolina. The cool breeze blew through the quiet town, rustling trees and bushes as it went. The streets of the town were deserted, apart from a few residents walking their dogs or on their way out for a quiet drink.

Matt Crower stood under a large tree in the deserted park, awaiting his companion. He tried to keep to the shadows, to stop any prying residents from spotting him and wondering what he was doing. It had been a long time since he had to sneak around and he could not help but feel a little excited at the prospect of getting caught.

Matt had attempted to keep to himself after Christmas, knowing he was in for a world of trouble if he gave in to his feelings; however, his companion had not allowed him to hide away for long and had forced her presence on in. Matt had tried to resist, but her pull was too strong and he could not help himself.

A quiet rustle of a nearby bush caught his attention, which caused Matt to back up further into the shadows. When Rocky pushed his way through the bush, followed by his beautiful young companion, Matt let out a sigh of relief and approached the pair.

Merlyn smiled as Matt knelt down and gave Rocky an affectionate stroke. She had been looking forward to this meeting all day and had managed to convince Gail that she was trying to help her by taking Rocky for a long walk. Merlyn did not like lying to her cousin; however, she did not want to have to deal with her judgement, or her attempts to control the situation.

'I see you roped an unsuspecting party into our deceit' Matt scorned sarcastically.

'Rocky has no problem being an accomplice, he's just happy to get out of that god awful mansion' Merlyn smiled, then bent down and let Rocky off his lead.

Matt watched as the dog ran happily through the deserted park, oblivious to what they were doing here. He envied the dogs innocence and wished his life could be as simple as Rocky's.

Merlyn watched Matt closely and felt something stir within her. It was a pleasant, warm sensation and she was experiencing it more often when she thought of her current companion. 'How was your day?' she asked, not taking her eyes off him.

'My day's been fine, work was interesting' he shrugged.

Merlyn smiled at his attempt to remain cool, these secret meetings had not been inappropriate and she was trying to prove that they could be trusted alone together. The truth was that she loved spending time with Matt, he treated her like a woman and not a child. If this led to something else, she was ready for that and excited at the thought; however, she knew he had a lot more to lose than she did and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him.

'You're not going to ask why work was interesting?' Matt asked when she had remained silent for a few minutes.

Merlyn moved closer to her companion and sighed. 'I'm guessin' it's somethin' to do with Lucas Buck? That man is always gunnin' for you'

Matt laughed and shook his head. 'Thankfully all's quiet on the Buck front. It was the opposite actually...Gail requested all my files on something. It's a subject she never wanted to get involved in previously, but it appears it's peaked her curiosity recently'

'What subject?' she asked curiously. As far as she was aware, her cousin was too busy looking after Luke and Caleb to be concerned with anything else.

Matt stroked Merlyn's arm gently then turned his attention to Rocky, who was making his way back towards them. 'It's nothing, I shouldn't have brought it up...It's got me a little worried is all'

Merlyn felt a wave of unease come over her. If Gail was looking into something, she was keeping it very quiet and that meant it could be dangerous for her. Just because Gail mothered Lucas' child did not give her a free pass and she was starting to get concerned. 'Matt, what subject?' she asked sternly, as she gripped his arm and turned him towards her.

Matt saw the concern in her eyes; however, it was not his place to rat out his friend. 'Look M, Gail is my best friend and we're very close. I would never betray her confidence and shouldn't have said anything in the first place...Let's just forget about it and enjoy the hour we've got together, before someone starts wondering where you are'

Merlyn sensed that Matt's mind was made up, he was as stubborn as her cousin and there was no point arguing when they had gone to such lengths to rendezvous like this. 'Alright, as long as there's nothin' to worry about' she said, trying to push away her concern.

'There's nothing to be concerned about, I'm handling it...Now come on, let's go find somewhere peaceful where we can sit' Matt smiled and led her deeper into the park.

* * *

Selena sauntered towards her yellow sports car, which had been parked on the Elementary School parking lot since before 8:30am. She was beginning to hate Monday's, class had let out 3 hours ago; however, she remained behind to grade the homework assignments from the weekend and planned her teaching schedule for the rest of the week. These dark evenings were making her lose track of time and before she knew it, most of the evening had gone.

Her life had gotten so mundane and all she did was work, eat and sleep. Her sexual partners had whittled down to one and although Billy was good, she missed Lucas' raw animal desire. Her life was good, she should not complain as she had gotten off lightly for some of the stunts she had pulled; however, she missed her partner in crime and he would not even acknowledge her when he dropped Caleb off at school these days. Clearly he was too caught up with his new family to care about what she was getting up to.

'But I'm not' Gail said as she came behind Selena when she reached her car.

Selena gave off a small jump, then turned to face her adversary. Gail had clearly been working out to lose her baby weight and Selena resented the fact that her toned figure was starting to return so quickly. 'Well if it isn't the lovely Miss Emory...I'm surprised you've been let out to play without that little demon of yours'

Gail placed her hands in her jacket pockets, to shield them from the cold and smiled. 'I can play out with whomever I choose, that's more than I can say about you...How's everyday life treating you Selena? I hear Billy's got you on a tight leash these days'

Selena inhaled deeply, in an attempt to hide her irritation. 'I'm on nobody's leash'

'No? That's not what I hear...Work, eat, sleep and repeat makes Selena a good girl' Gail laughed.

'You know nothing about my life' Selena snapped, then turned back towards her car and started opening the drivers side door.

Gail placed her hand on the door and closed it effortlessly. 'I know enough. For instance, after work you'll go to Jimmy's bar and drink alone, as everyone you've used has had enough of you...You'll return home, cooking and cleaning while you wait for your man, then head to bed for some mundane sex and lay awake waiting for the cycle to repeat itself. Am I wrong?' she asked knowingly.

Gail was not wrong and Selena hated that. 'You're telling me that your life is any different? Now that you have a family I imagine your day's run as clockwork, just like mine' she stated venomously.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Open your eyes Selena, I'm with Lucas Buck...You remember how that goes right?' she goaded.

Selena bit her lip in exasperation and leaned against her car door. 'Why are you bothering me Gail? Just leave me alone and go back to your perfect family'

'Is that what you really want?...' Gail asked with a hint of mischief in her eyes. '...I could just leave you to your mundane routine, all alone waiting on a man to gift you with some intimacy'

Selena thought for a moment, no-one had bothered with her for nearly 2 months and suddenly here was Gail Emory out of the blue. She did not know what the womans game was; however, it was a break from her usual routine and she would be lying if she denied being intrigued by this visit. 'Alright, I'll bite...This doesn't end with me in the Trinity River at the end of the night does it Gail?' she asked suspiciously.

Gail laughed and signaled for Selena to follow her. 'You know, you throw someone in the Trinity River one time and it keeps coming back to bite you in the ass' she said sarcastically.

Selena shook her head, then followed Gail to her car. She did not trust the woman before her; however, being with her could not be worse than her mundane existence at the moment.

* * *

Lucas sat on his side porch drinking a beer, with Caleb by his side and Luke wrapped up warm in his buggy. He had been making a conscious effort to return home at a reasonable hour, to show Gail that he was serious about being a real family and that involved him spending quality time with them all.

When he returned home at 6:00pm, he found his dinner in the oven and his boys playing in Study with Rita and Izzy. He had been surprised that Gail was nowhere to be found; however, Rita explained that something urgent had come up and Gail had to leave in a hurry. She reassured him that everything was alright and Gail would be back in a few hours, then left him alone with his family.

Lucas was curious as to what had gotten his love's attention; however, he could not just cart his boys all over town to confront her, therefore, he chose to remain calm and have a relaxing beer with his eldest. It may not be an appropriate activity for a young boy, but Lucas knew there was no harm if he was monitoring the boy carefully. 'You enjoying that son?' he asked casually.

'Yes sir' Caleb smiled and watched Luke play with his favorite stuffed toy.

'You know where that ol' cousin of yours went?'

Caleb shrugged and took another sip of his beer. 'Nah, she probably went after Merly as she's been gone a while now...I'm just happy I can have this drink while they ain't around'

'I bet you are' Lucas laughed and took a large sip of his beer.

Both women had been very well behaved for his liking recently and he had chosen to leave them to their own devices while he focused on his boys. Now that he cast his mind to them, it was obvious that they were both up to something and he supposed he should step in sooner or later.

'Can't you just leave them be? They ain't hurtin' nobody' Caleb asked, subconsciously reading his fathers mind.

Lucas glanced at his boy with pride, sensing the darkness within him. He supposed he would have to start guarding his thoughts more often, if Caleb chose to begin honing in on his instincts; however, for now the boy was doing no harm. 'You don't need to be concernin' yourself with my plans for those two son...' Lucas started.

'They're my family, so I reckon I do' Caleb interrupted, then got up from his seated position and walked to the porch rail.

Lucas sighed, then got up and followed his boy. 'You think I'd hurt them?' he asked casually.

'Merly says you're capable of it'

'You need to stop listenin' to your sister and start thinkin' for yourself son...Besides, Merly Ann ain't said nothin' like that in a long time' Lucas stated smugly.

Caleb had noticed that his sister appeared to have warmed to Lucas over the past few weeks, he supposed it was due to him covering for her when she slipped out of Abe's house in the evenings. 'Gail ain't gonna be impressed when she finds out you're coverin' for her you know?'

Lucas laughed and placed a reassuring hand on Caleb's shoulder. 'You leave the women to me and just enjoy the peace we've got without them. Believe me, I'm pretty sure your cousin is too wrapped up with whatever she's sneakin' around doin' to be concerned with your sister' he smiled.

There were no real secrets from him in Trinity; therefore, he chose to allow Gail to do whatever she needed to do and he would enjoy interrogating her when she got home.

* * *

Gail sat across from Selena in Jimmy's bar, drinking a tall glass of Prosecco. Both women sat in silence for the first few drinks, then Selena let out a long sigh and signaled a waitress to get them a fresh bottle.

Selena found herself happy with the different company, regardless of whether they were conversing or not. She suspected Gail was up to something and that it would involve Lucas; however, it was nice to have a change to her usual mundane routine and to know she had not been forgotten about.

Gail finished her third glass of Prosecco when their second bottle was brought to the table and smiled pleasantly at the waitress. She refilled both of their glasses and raised her glass for a silent cheers. Gail knew she had to play this smart and would be patient, to ensure Selena felt comfortable with her.

Selena smiled as the cool liquid trailed down her throat and waited for Gail to show her cards. When she just continued to sit in silence drinking her forth glass of Prosecco, Selena let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get me drunk Miss Emory'

Gail smiled sweetly and finished her drink. 'I'm just keeping up with you Miss Coombs, so I could say the same thing about you'

Selena thought for a moment and smiled, her mind was hazy and she could not think clearly; however, Gail had drank the same amount as her and must be in the same boat. 'Alright, so we're just getting drunk together?' she asked suspiciously.

Gail laughed and shrugged. Why not? 'Have you got a problem with that?'

Selena could not tell what Gail's game was and the woman appeared genuine. So far she had not tried fishing for information on Lucas, or attempted to manipulate her into doing something; therefore, she did not know what to make of this.

'There's nothing to make of it Selena...I'm bored, you're bored, so we might as well be bored together' Gail sighed, reading her mind.

Selena nodded and refilled their glasses. 'OK, well here's to forgetting about what's expected of us for a night' Selena smiled and raised her glass.

'I'll drink to that' Gail smiled mischievously and touched glasses, before taking a long sip of her drink.

* * *

Lucas sat in his Study, reading an Isaac Asimov novel titled Foundation. Gail had challenged his intellect recently and accused him of being stuck in old ways, with his music taste and his books. She was not wrong and Lucas had become accustomed to old texts throughout the years, as these had been passed down from generation to generation; however, he would not be labelled and had agreed to broaden his horizon by branching out into science fiction.

The book was short for his standards and he had nearly finished it after 2 days of reading, it had a certain draw to it and he found it hard to put down. He had seen the children to bed an hour earlier and was happy for this time alone, now that he was coming to the last few pages of the story. As he turned to the penultimate page, he cursed out loud when he heard a quiet knock on his window.

Lucas looked towards the sound in irritation and spotted Billy Peel stood outside the window, he let out a long sigh and signaled the man towards the unlocked front door. Lucas stared at the book in disbelief and carefully placed it on the small table beside his couch, vowing to get rid of Billy quickly. When he heard Billy enter through the front door and sensed his presence close to the Study, he stood up to meet him.

'I'm sorry to bother you at this time, I hope I'm not disturbing the kids' Billy apologised, glancing around the empty Study.

'Just me Billy-boy...to what do I owe this interruption?' Lucas asked irritated and signaled for Billy to sit down.

Billy sat on the couch and watched Lucas sit down comfortably on his large grandfather chair. 'Selena...she didn't come home after school' Billy said accusingly.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'If I had a dollar for every time that girl didn't return home, I'd be in Fiji by now'

'So you have no idea where she is, or why she decided to uproot her routine?' Billy asked in disbelief.

'Look friend...' Lucas said standing up, '...I couldn't care less about your girlfriend, I have enough to deal with here. What I will say is she's not built for a cage, so maybe you should consider what you've tried to make her into before pointin' the finger at me'

'Meaning what?' Billy asked angrily, standing up to meet Lucas.

'Meanin' that little birdie likes to roam free and if you've tried to tame her, you're stupider than you look' Lucas laughed.

Billy felt his blood begin to boil, he had not come here to fight; however, he sensed what Lucas was insinuating and he would not believe Selena had stepped out on him. The truth was that Lucas had left them alone for a while and Billy had suspected the man was due to mess with them. It appeared from Lucas' current state that he may have been mistaken and now he was left with suspicions that he did not want to comprehend.

'A leopard can't change it's spots Doc' Lucas said knowingly.

'Just like a sociopathic Sheriff can't truly settle into a normal family' Gail sighed, as she entered the Study and threw her bag down.

Billy turned from Lucas to Gail and smiled at how well his ex friend looked. 'I was just looking for Selena...I'll get out of your hair' he said and started to leave.

'I left her at her place before returning here...You might want to get her some water' Gail advised and walked to the kitchen to get herself a non alcoholic drink.

Lucas showed Billy out then returned to the Study to find Gail sat with her legs up on the couch, studying his book. 'You seem on edge Darlin'' he said and knelt down to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes.

'That'll happen when a person reminds you that they'll never change' she sighed and shrugged off his hand.

'Oh come on now, you can't be mad at me for playin' with a man you no longer see as a friend...Where have you been anyway?' he asked suspiciously.

'Why don't you open that all seeing eye of yours and tell me?' she said defiantly, then got up from the couch and approached the fireplace.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her and shook his head, he sensed she was up to something; however, he could not place his finger on it. 'What's your plan Gail?' he asked curiously, as he got up and came up behind her.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'My plan is to go to bed and sleep off the hangover I'm surely going to have...Finish your book Sheriff' she ordered sweetly, then headed out of the room and up the stairs.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of heavy rain crashing against the window to the Study woke Lucas up. He had fallen asleep on the couch reading the second part of the Foundation trilogy and cursed himself for not following Gail to bed the previous night, to have fun interrogating her.

The smell of bacon caught his senses and he noticed that someone had placed a blanket over him. He stared at the blanket suspiciously, then shot an irritated glance at Gideon when he heard the dogs low growls from in front of the fireplace.

'Someone had to ensure that you didn't catch a cold Sheriff' Gail smiled, as she rocked Luke carefully in her arms.

Lucas turned towards Gail, who was stood at the kitchen door and smiled appreciatively. 'I'm flattered you care'

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'I should be flattered that you're content enough in our relationship to fall asleep on the couch and give me some space'

Lucas moved the blanket, then stood up and gave off a long stretch. He had never fallen asleep on the couch reading a book, or left a woman alone in his bed; therefore, this situation was new to him.

'It's called a mundane family life sweetheart, isn't this what you wanted' she asked, then signaled for him to follow her into the kitchen.

Lucas shot Gideon another distrustful glance, then followed his love to the kitchen table. 'How did you cook a full breakfast without me knowin'?' he asked as he sat down obediently.

'Let's call it my super power...' she joked and smiled when a tired Caleb decided to join them. '...So, I'm going to return to work today. I'm assuming that won't be a problem?'

Lucas started to cut into his bacon and bit his lip, in an attempt to hide his irritation. 'I don't think that's a good idea Darlin', there's maternity leave in place for a reason. You'd be better stayin' at home and restin'...You're still not a hundred percent'

Gail sat down, holding Luke close to her chest and picked up a slice of toast. 'I'd be better not being oppressed by the father of my child'

Lucas forced a laugh and shook his head. 'That's a pretty strong accusation Gail, I just want what's best for you'

'Since when?' she asked accusingly and placed the toast down on her plate.

'So what if Lucas wants you to stay home? I'd happily give up my day to relax here with my brother' Caleb interrupted.

Gail rolled her eyes at Caleb's contribution and forced a smile. It was getting hard to keep up her sweet facade, especially when Lucas had Caleb to side with him; however, she needed Lucas to trust her and getting on the defensive would not help her accomplish her goal. 'Alright, I see both of your points..' she said calmly, getting up from the table. '...I appreciate your concern, but the Trinity Guardian hasn't had a good cover story in over a month...I promise I'll just sit behind my desk and review some material. I'll even go see Matt for a checkup, if it'll reassure you that I'm not overdoing it'

Lucas stared at Gail suspiciously, she was saying all the right things to appease him; however, he doubted her conviction. He could sense she was hell bent on this and did not want to make her feel trapped, especially when she had been making an effort recently to conform to his wishes regarding their family. He trusted that there were no secrets that he could not uncover in his town and he chose to give her the benefit of the doubt. 'I suppose we can't have your precious paper failing' he sighed.

Gail had not expected Lucas to give in so easily and could not help but smile. 'Great, I'll get Luke ready to come with me and drop Caleb off at school'

'You take your time Darlin', I'll see my boy off to school...You be sure to see that Doctor of yours though' he warned.

Gail nodded obediently, then headed out of the kitchen. That could not have worked better if she tried.

* * *

Merlyn came down the stairs of Abe's house, to find her host slumped over in his armchair. She had been too caught up in her secret rendezvous's to pay attention to his recent decline in health. Now that she saw him this way, she could help the wave of concern that came over her and she rushed to his side.

'Get off me girl! Can't a man rest in his own home?' Abe snapped defensively.

Merlyn took a step back and tried to hide the concern from her face. 'You appear to be restin' a lot recently, maybe I should open the Store without you today' she suggested.

Abe laughed and pulled himself to his feet. 'You ain't goin' anywhere near my Store today youngin', I've had strict instructions to send you to the Guardian when you're up'

Merlyn regarded Abe suspiciously, 'Why?' she asked curiously.

'Why ain't my business, you'll have to ask Rosie that. Besides, I got more important things to do than be concerned with you today' Abe smiled and slowly made his way to the window.

Merlyn watched Abe move, then spotted the moses basket under the window. 'You've gotta be kiddin' me' she said in disbelief.

'Oh shush heathen, I'm as good a babysitter as anyone' Abe smiled, then pulled up a chair beside Luke.

* * *

Gail paced her large office impatiently, waiting for Merlyn to arrive. When she dropped Luke off with her Uncle Abe, she had been confident that she had made the right decision on sticking to her plan; however, the prying stares from her coworkers were making her feel uneasy and as time passed, she began to doubt her own conviction.

'Defyin' someone can have that affect on a person' Lucas said casually, as he admired her figure in the small brown skirt and white blouse she was wearing.

Gail stopped in her tracks, took a deep breath and turned towards Lucas. His ability to remain cool throughout any situation was commendable, she knew he suspected she was up to something; however, his smooth facade did not falter and he just stood there in his usual captivating manner. 'A person being in her place of work is not a form of defiance Sheriff...You couldn't leave me alone for just a few hours?' she asked in disappointment.

Lucas disregarded her disappointment, closed her office blinds and smiled devilishly. 'I see you got rid of our boy. I'll let you off this time, as it makes it easier for me to settle a score' he said and approached her dominantly.

'What score?' Gail asked confused and backed away when she saw something dark pass over his eyes.

Lucas' smile grew wider, her resistance would make this all the more real. Without hesitation he grabbed her arm tight and threw her roughly against her large dark pine desk, then reached beneath her short skirt and ripped off her panties.

Gail was conscious of their current surroundings and would not dare raise her voice in work. 'What are you doing? Stop!' she whispered, trying to sound stern.

Lucas shook his head then unzipped his pants, pinned her down and forced her legs open with his knees. He gripped her throat tight, then leaned in close and lifted her face so he could stare deep into her eyes. 'I told you, I have a score to settle' he whispered, then thrust his hard manhood inside of her.

Gail bit her lip to stop herself from calling out with the painful entry and tried to push him off of her. When he started to thrust in and out of her hard, she was about to release her darkness; however, her mind went to their intimate exchange on Christmas Eve and it made her stop. She had asked Lucas to take her like he had taken Judith and he had agreed, then backed out of the promise and taken her softly.

Lucas had told Gail that he would deliver, he just had not told her when. It was clear that he was settling that score with her now and she allowed herself to relax. She felt his hand grip her neck again when she stopped resisting, then slapped him hard and tried to push him off again.

Lucas sensed that she now understood and was impressed that she was actually letting this play out. He had suspected that she made the initial request to hurt him and she did not believe he would actually comply; however, here she was allowing him to recreate the moment that he had with Judith and although that memory should be sacred to him, all he could think about was Gail and uncovering her secrets.

An intense burst of pleasure shot through him and it pulled him out of his thoughts. He sensed Gail's climax was close and continued to pound in and out of her roughly. Just as he thought she was about to break, Gail tensed as her climax hit and bit down on his shoulder. That was all it took for Lucas' release to come and he buried his head into her chest, as he exploded within her.

They both lay panting for a moment, then Lucas cupped her chin in his hand and stared into her eyes. When he was satisfied that he had not pushed her too far he got up like he had with Judith, then reached for a tissue to clean himself and threw some to her. When he had replaced his manhood back into his pants, he walked to the office door without saying a word.

Gail watched this display curiously, as she cleaned herself up. She had witnessed something soft in his eyes when he had gazed into hers and sensed he was showing her how the violation had ended so many years ago. She should be mad at him for what he had done; however, he had justified his actions in his mind and she knew he did not understand why it was so wrong. It would be like blaming a child for stealing some chocolate that they did not know was forbidden.

As Lucas opened the office door, he was taken aback by Merlyn Ann stood in front of him about to knock. He held his position for a moment, to allow Gail time to fix her appearance, then allowed the girl to enter as he exited.

Gail took a deep breath after she finished smoothing down her skirt and ran her hand through her hair. She had a feeling that this had been Lucas' way of reminding her that he was watching and he would take control whenever he wanted. The realisation of what she had previously requested of Lucas hit her and seeing Merlyn caused her to feel a strong sense of shame.

'Did I miss somethin'?' Merlyn asked, sensing her cousins shame.

Gail forced a laugh and shook her head. 'Nothing you ever need to be a part of...Come in, I want to see how far you've gotten with your courses'

'Schooling? You forced me down here to check up on my education?' Merlyn laughed in disbelief.

Gail took hold of Merlyn's arm and led her to her computer. 'You're here so I can evaluate your competency, to see if you're educated enough to help me with something' Gail said honestly, then smiled when Merlyn sat down obediently and awaited her instructions.

* * *

Selena sat with her head resting on her desk, willing her headache to disappear. She had managed to hide her hangover from her class and had taught them in a professional manner; however, now that school was over, she allowed herself to focus on her pain. This was all Gail's fault, she should have known better than to drink so much on a school night.

'That never used to stop you from completing tasks for me Teacher' Lucas smiled and closed the classroom door, to give them some privacy.

Selena felt her heart drop when she heard his smooth southern voice, first Gail and now a visit from Lucas. She knew this did not bode well for her and led out a long sigh. 'If you want information on your girlfriend just go ask her and leave me alone' Selena ordered, without raising her head from it's position on her desk.

Lucas laughed at the state of her, he knew Selena could handle her alcohol and was not a lightweight; therefore, Gail must have been working hard last night to get her in this state. 'Is that any way to talk to your one true love?' he goaded.

Selena closed her eyes and mustered up the energy to raise her head. 'Maybe you should be with your one true love' she answered cattily.

'Oh I've already had my fill today Teacher, she's fairing surprisingly well considering the state your in' he laughed.

Selena hated him in that moment, the thought of the lovely Miss Emory being able to perform her duties after the amount they had drank made her bitter. 'Go away Lucas' she said irritated and stood up.

Lucas' smile grew wider when he sensed her fragile condition. He approached her as he used to, with the look of an animal ready to pounce and then cupped her chin in his hand to raise her eyes to his. 'Do you really want me to go Miss Coombs? I get that your life has taken a peculiar turn and it's not in your nature to remain caged for long...Maybe I could swing somethin' with my love, to get you back in the loop. It appears that she's taken with you anyhow, judging by last night'

Selena licked her lips seductively as she stared deep into his eyes. She knew that this was not right and suspected Gail would not react well if she caught them in this position; however, she did not care. 'The lovely Miss Emory isn't taken by me Lucas, one drinking session won't bridge the gab of our hatred for each other'

Lucas let out a small laugh and stroked her cheek tenderly. 'Oh but she doesn't hate you Selena, on the contrary. I suspect Gail sees you as you truly are, an ally to be called upon when required. It can still be how it used to be Darlin''

Selena was mesmerised by this Adonis and she should know better; however, she was lost in his eyes and she could never control herself around him. 'How? What do I need to do?' she pleaded for answers.

Lucas felt the familiar triumph of control and stayed his course. He knew he had her, he always did; however, sometimes she just needed a little tenderness to provide the required push for unwavering obedience. Lucas sensed someone walking down the corridor and released his hold on Selena. 'You don't need to do anything yet love, just be my eyes and ears when it counts'

'Yes Lucas' Selena said obediently, then watched as he exited the classroom and left her alone.

* * *

Gail was perched on Matt's desk in his office, drumming her fingers on the wood. She had come by on Matt's lunch hour, expecting him to be eating in his office like he used to; however, her friend was nowhere to be found and she had been stuck on the telephone with Abe for over 20 minutes, while she waited for him to return.

'Yes Uncle, I can hear Luke laughing...No Uncle, you cannot give him chocolate...Jesus, you definitely cannot give him whiskey! I don't care how well you think it'll help him sleep'

Gail heard the door to the office open and let out a sigh of relief. 'Alright look, Matt's back so I've got to go. Don't make me regret leaving him with you...I'll be by shortly. Bye' she said and hung up the telephone.

Matt glanced at a frustrated Gail perched on his desk and laughed. 'Bad day?' he asked.

'Bad babysitter' she laughed and got up to give her friend a hug.

Matt enjoyed their embrace and signaled for her to sit down with him on the couch by the window. 'If I'd known you were coming, I wouldn't have gone for a walk on my lunch break'

'It's good that you did, I hate the thought of you being cooped up in here all day' she waved off his concern.

Matt smiled and placed a reassuring hand on her knee. 'You worry too much about me, I'm a grown man and can take care of myself...Speaking of which, are you managing to take care of yourself?' he asked suspiciously.

Gail shook her head and smiled. 'Apart from a few aches and pains I'm fine'

'Pains...where?' Matt asked concerned.

'Never you mind' Gail said and shot him a look of warning to drop the subject.

Matt inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh, he could guess the reason for her aches and did not approve. 'As long as you're not overdoing it, then that's fine...So what are you doing here Gail? I'm assuming you don't want to resume our checkups, considering you banned me from examining you weeks ago'

Gail stood up and began to pace the office, it was hard having Matt as her Doctor as he hated Lucas. She could not just strip off and show him the bite marks she frequently gained or the bruises from their rough sex, as he would not understand and would just worry about her. She trusted herself to know if something was wrong with her and would not allow him to examine her unless if was absolute necessary. 'I assure you I'm fine, my visit today is business' she stated.

Matt put his head in his hands, then ran his hand through his hair. 'Records are confidential for a reason Gail, you know I don't get involved in your business'

'Oh come on Matt, we're not having this conversation again...' Gail sighed, '...You attempted to investigate Judith Temples death previously and hit a brick wall, you know I'm better at this. You've already showed me the files and I just have a few things I want to talk out, it's not as though I can talk to anyone else'

'You know my thoughts on that case Gail...' Matt started.

'And I've told you I want evidence...' she interrupted, '...You can't just accuse the town Sheriff of murder without the relevant proof'

Matt stood up and began pacing. This conversation was dangerous, he had no doubt that Lucas had spies everywhere and the man would not hesitate to end them if he found out what they were discussing. He did not care about what happened to him, hell at times he welcomed death just to get some peace; however, he would not allow anything to happen to Gail, she had not yet experienced enough tragedy to stop her from living her life.

Gail sensed Matt's thoughts and approached her friend, she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and turned him towards her. 'You really think everything is so black and white? Don't you think that if he could break me it would've happened by now?'

'There are evil forces in this town Gail...'

'Yes there are...Dark forces are closer than you think Matt, but who's to say they're all for him?' she whispered.

Matt regarded Gail suspiciously, this kind of talk was not common for her and he was starting to see his friend in a different light. 'What happens if you prove my suspicions? You're building a home with the man for god's sake!'

Gail perched herself on the edge of the desk and let out a small laugh. 'If I prove our suspicions...' she corrected, '...then we have something to discuss properly, now don't we?'

Matt thought for a moment, then sat down next to her. 'Alright, let's do this...but if I suspect any form of ill will against you, then you'll see a side of me you haven't yet come across'

Gail regarded Matt curiously for a moment, then smiled. She was confident that her darkness would enable her to shield their activities from her lover and this would allow them the opportunity to really delve into a secret Lucas had kept hidden for a long time.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Merlyn sat in Gail's office, typing up her character interviews. She had passed her cousins competency test and Gail had hired her on the spot as her official assistant. Her cousin had provided her with a new laptop and cleared space on her desk, to enable Merlyn to work opposite her. Gail had given her a list of things to do, which included interviewing residents in Trinity on a particular subject and dropped her off in Goat Town to complete her task.

Merlyn was excited at the prospect of working with her cousin officially and the opportunities that this position could bring. She enjoyed helping Abe; however, she did not envision herself working in a Store forever and she needed to start thinking of ways to truly take advantage of her second chance in life.

Her mind wandered to Abe and how he would get by without her, if she took this position full time. Merlyn sensed there was something wrong with him and she did not want to burden him with having to run the Store all on his own.

'That's mighty considerate of you Missy...It's a shame that you didn't think of that ol' man before you accepted the job' Lucas said, as he entered the office. He had hoped to find Gail here; however, it appeared she had slipped out without his knowing.

'Gail went to her appointment with Matt, she'll be back soon' Merlyn said, sensing Lucas was looking for her cousin.

Lucas nodded in acceptance, Gail had assured him that she would get herself checked out and was glad that she actually stuck to that agreement. 'Where's my boy?' he asked curiously.

Merlyn had not been warned against telling Lucas anything; therefore, she saw no harm in talking to him. 'Luke's with Abe. Gail wanted to test me without any interruptions, she thinks she'll need me around here going forward' she answered honestly.

Lucas considered her words, she did not appear to be lying. Gail may be considering working on a part time basis with the help of Merlyn and that would free up more time for her to take care of his family. If that were true, she appeared to be doing everything that he wished and delivered it all neatly tied in a bow. That in itself was concerning, he knew who he had fallen for and this good housewife act was not her.

'You don't believe her?' Merlyn asked, sensing his distrust.

'If I didn't do you think I'd tell you?'

Merlyn shrugged and got back to typing her transcripts. 'I couldn't care less what you're both up to at the moment, I have a new life to lead...Besides, why would I get involved when you're finally of some use to me?' she asked, thinking back to the evenings he had covered for her.

Lucas laughed and nodded, he liked this slightly selfish version of Merlyn Ann. The girl had been through a lot and it was interesting to see her finally trying to discover her true potential. 'Alright, no I don't trust her but I know she wouldn't hurt our family...I suppose that includes you' he sighed.

Merlyn stared at him with disdain; however, a warm feeling surged through her stomach at the thought of finally being acknowledged as belonging. 'Just cause she won't hurt the family doesn't mean she ain't gunnin' for you...and if she did ask for my help, I wouldn't refuse Lucas' she warned.

Lucas liked this candid conversation, he always knew where he stood with Merlyn and her unabridged honesty was refreshing. 'I wouldn't expect anythin' less Merlyn Ann...Now you don't go gettin' up to anything too grown up with Harvard and let your cousin know I stopped by when you see her' he winked, then left her alone in the office.

* * *

Selena sat on her front porch drinking a glass of red wine and staring up at the stars. Her hangover had finally dissipated and she was enjoying the lack of throbbing in her head.

Billy had returned home earlier than expected and she had pounced on him as soon as he came through the door. She could not explain why she had felt such desire for him; however, she suspected her visit from Lucas had something to do with it. Now she was just relaxing wearing only his shirt and a pair of socks, wondering what weather they had in store for them in this crazy little town.

'Surely you're only concern isn't the weather' Gail asked, as she approached Selena.

Selena sighed and moved over to allow Gail room to sit down, then handed her the glass of wine. 'It may have been what I would be doing tonight; however, my boyfriend returned home early and answered that concern for me' Selena smiled smugly.

'Well it appears we've both had our unexpected visits today, I hope your's was as enjoyable as mine' Gail laughed and took a large sip of wine, then handed the glass back.

Selena nodded and took another drink. 'It might not have been as earth shattering as you and Lucas Buck, but it did the trick'

Gail regarded Selena curiously and smiled. 'Glad to hear it, it's a good job I got Billy to finish up early then isn't it?'

Selena turned towards Gail and handed her the glass of wine. 'Lying doesn't suit you Gail'

'You seriously think he left work early on his own accord?...' Gail asked in disbelief, '...Use your brain Selena, Lucas isn't the only one who can provide you with a bit of intimacy'

Selena quickly looked back up at the night sky and tried to disregard Gail's knowing gaze piercing through her. 'I don't know what you mean...' Selena started, then felt a soft hand on her chin.

Gail turned Selena's face to hers and stroked her cheek tenderly. 'He's not the only one with his spies' she said, staring deep into her eyes.

Of course Gail known Lucas would visit his ex, she had counted on it and had Gideon set up in the classroom before school started waiting for her lover to show up. She was surprised that Lucas had not sensed her faithful companion in the classroom with them and guessed he was too distracted with discovering what she was up to.

Selena felt a warmth flow through her and felt herself getting lost in Gail's hazel eyes. It appeared they were both playing with her and she did not know why.

'I'm not playing with you, I told you last night that I'm just bored...We're like kindred spirits you and I, stuck in a life that neither of us wanted' Gail said soothingly.

'Your life should've been mine' Selena whispered honestly.

Gail's smile grew wider, this is what she needed. She sensed Selena's barrier melting and she almost had her trust. 'You're better off where you are...a trusted ally was how he put it wasn't it?'

Selena nodded obediently, her mind felt hazy and she was starting to lose track on who she was supposed to be serving.

'Shhh...' Gail whispered in her ear, '...You aren't serving anybody. I've told you before, you need to break the chains and only then will you be free'

A cold sensation came over her and suddenly Selena recognised the soothing words Gail was feeding her. Her adversary had fed her the same line when she somehow threw her over a rail and into the Trinity River. Remembering the ice cold water on her skin snapped her out of her trance and she stood up quickly, to create some space between them.

'Well what do we have here?' Lucas asked suspiciously, as he approached the pair slowly.

Gail rolled her eyes when she heard his voice and tried to focus her attention on Selena.

'Give it up love, I do believe the girl is fully awake' Lucas laughed and pulled out a bottle of Prosecco from inside his long jacket.

Gail shook her head and shot Lucas a sweet smile. 'What's the occasion? I hope this isn't your way of telling me I've been replaced' she asked sarcastically and nodded towards Selena.

Lucas smiled down at his love and cupped her chin in his hand gently. 'I'm not dignifying that with a response...Isn't this your favorite drink of late Darlin'? I thought we could all split it and see what happens' he winked playfully.

Gail sensed him attempting to control the situation; however, she would not let him win and would not back down her claim on Selena. 'I'm game, but one bottle isn't going to go far between the three of us Sheriff' she teased.

Lucas laughed and leaned closer to Gail. 'There's plenty more where this came from...game on Miss Emory' he whispered, then kissed her passionately.

Selena watched the display curiously, she had witnessed their teasing exchanges previously and even witnessed their intimate encounters on occasion; however, this felt different and she somehow felt like she was in the middle. 'Billy's in the shower, he'll be out any time now' she warned, partly hoping he would show himself and alleviate some of the pressure she was feeling.

'Perfect, he can play too' Gail suggested playfully.

'No...' Lucas ordered sternly, '...there's only room for three players in this game'

Gail regarded Lucas carefully, then stood up and went to Selena's side. 'Maybe I'll step out and let Billy take my place, would you like that?' she asked Selena.

Selena looked towards Gail and instantly felt a soothing wind blow over her, she linked her hand around Gail's arm and felt her unease drift away. 'I think I want to stay with you' she said and smiled when Gail gave her a playful wink.

'You heard the lady Sheriff, she's coming out with me and only me' Gail smiled triumphantly.

Lucas felt himself getting agitated when Selena started following Gail to her car. 'You going out in that attire?' he asked as Selena past him.

'She doesn't need anything else where we're going' Gail said and took the bottle of Prosecco from Lucas' hand as she passed.

Lucas watched as the women got into Gail's car and shook his head.

'What did I miss?' Billy asked, when he came out and spotted the red mustang pull away with Selena in it.

'I wish I knew...' Lucas said in irritation, '...Come on, we're overdue a boys night'

* * *

Merlyn sat on Gail's front porch swing, with a glass of rose in her hand. Matt was not due home from the hospital for another hour and she liked to come here on occasion, to allow herself to think uninterrupted.

It had been a strange day, she had been given a completely different career opportunity and she had survived a run in with Lucas Buck. She could not tell whether she liked the person she was becoming, as her whole life had been about a hatred for that man; however, she was beginning to finally feel like she truly belonged and things only started to come together after she had accepted Lucas' position within her family.

'I'm glad you're finally thinkin' of him in that way' Caleb said, subconsciously reading her mind as he came up the porch steps.

Merlyn was taken aback by the sight of her brother here, he had not returned to this place since Gail had the baby and she had not expected him to venture far from the Buck Mansion. 'Keep out of my head' she warned and moved over, to allow him to sit next to her.

'Gail will kill you if she finds you drinkin' that stuff' he said and leaned his head on his sisters shoulder.

'Gail is too busy doin' whatever she's doin' to be concerned about me. Besides, what she don't know won't hurt her' Merlyn winked.

Caleb sighed and closed his eyes, it appeared there were a lot of secrets recently and he supposed this one was harmless enough. 'What are you doin' here Merly?' he asked curiously.

Merlyn placed her arm around him and allowed the swing to move slowly. 'Just thinkin', you?'

Caleb shrugged and relaxed into the slow movement of the swing. 'Lucas told me to come here for a sleep over, he said Matt would be watchin' us tonight'

Merlyn let out a long sigh and squeezed her brother affectionately. 'Sometimes I wish it was just you and me...the adults in our life are confusin''

'Tell me about it...' Caleb laughed, '...Although, without them we wouldn't have Luke'

Merlyn sensed something stir within her brother and stopped the swing. 'How are you copin' with a little brother? We don't get to talk much these days'

Caleb sensed his sisters concern and put on his best innocent smile. 'He's fine, I love him...he's my baby brother'

Merlyn was not stupid and knew Caleb was just saying what he thought people would want him to say. She did not think he would hurt the baby; however, she did not believe the transition from an only child to the eldest was as easy as Caleb was making it out to be. 'You're my baby brother...' she said sweetly, '...I'll always look after you and make sure you stay on the right path'

'I can choose my own path Merly' he said stubbornly.

'I'm aware of that silly...What I mean is I'll make sure everythin' works out alright, no matter how hard things get. You need to do that for Luke, he ain't done anythin' wrong and he didn't ask to be brought into this confusin' world'

Caleb nodded, he knew she was right. He had experienced thoughts of life without his baby brother and the affect that would have on his family. He supposed there was no point in thinking that way, as it could never happen.

'No it couldn't...' Merlyn said reading his mind, '...You and Lucas ain't the only players here. How you have Lucas to look our for you, I have Gail. There's somethin' in her that's wonderful and scary...If it was to ever sense any ill thoughts against her child, it would not hesitate to eliminate the origin. Do you understand?'

Caleb had witnessed the change in his cousin on two occasions, once when her usual pleasant features turned cold towards him on Lucas' porch and again when she appeared to launch Lucas across the garden without touching him. He had sensed her change and was glad there was someone protecting his sister, as he did not know what he would do if she had to leave him again.

'I won't leave you Caleb, not ever' Merlyn reassured him.

'I understand what you're sayin' and I'll look after Luke like you look after me' he sighed.

Merlyn smiled and pulled him off of the porch swing. 'Good, now come on...it's freezing out here'

* * *

Gail sat on a picnic blanket in front of Abe's flower bed. There were no flowers in sight, due to the time of year and she missed the radiant roses that were usually displayed here. Gail had decided to bring Selena here, as Lucas knew better than to pull any tricks on Abe's land. It also meant she could check in on Luke and ensure Abe had not done anything he was not supposed to.

'You ladies need some more sandwiches?' Abe called from the back porch.

Gail glanced at Selena who just shook her head, then waved Abe off with a pleasant smile.

'That old man dotes over you something terrible. In all the years I've known Lucas, I've never been invited into his home...How did you do it?' Selena asked bitterly.

'It helps when the man in question used to babysit you as a child, it also helps that he's a long standing friend of the Emory family' Gail smiled and poured them both another glass of Prosecco.

Selena let out a long sigh and picked up her glass. 'So, you were connected to the mother of his first born child and his oldest friend?...I guess it was written in the stars' she said sarcastically.

Gail regarded the woman before her with irritation, it was taking all of her strength not to show her true feelings for her. 'Will you let it go? I'm with him and you're not, so what? You get a handsome Doctor and I get stretch marks, I'm not convinced I have the better deal here'

Selena laughed and shook her head. 'Billy's great, he smart and funny...so why do I feel so lost?' she asked herself.

'You know, you have the attitude of a person who has been held prisoner all of her life...Those people grow up not knowing anything else but their captor and when they are released, they long for the only life they ever knew...What I don't get is that you had a life, you had a mother and a father who raised you...This obsession with your so called old life doesn't make sense' Gail said and watched the woman before her carefully.

Selena thought about this for a moment, it was hard to focus as they had already polished off the first bottle of Prosecco; however, she wanted to get to the route of her problems. 'He had me from a young age, for a while he's all I knew' she shrugged.

Gail was careful not to show her hand and just nodded thoughtfully. 'But you were with your family until your mother died, then you chose to go away to college and study to become a Teacher. You chose your path back then...'

'I didn't choose!' Selena spat out venomously, then realised what she had started to say and closed her mouth.

Gail could not hide her smile, she knew she had it now. 'That path was chosen for you?...' Gail pondered knowingly, '...How convenient that career choice was'

'I didn't say anything' Selena tried to explain.

'I suppose if you gave yourself over fully when you were younger, you were easier to manipulate. How could he have planned it so far in advance?..' Gail interrupted and placed a soft hand on Selena's knee, '...My god, you didn't stand a chance'

Selena sensed something in Gail's tone and stood up. She knew Lucas would kill her for giving away any morsel of information; however, that was not what bothered her, it was the pity in Gail's tone that put her on edge. 'I had every chance, I loved my life!...' she snapped, feeling anger surge through her. '...Everything was perfect before he killed her! Then you showed up and my world fell apart!'

Gail was about to comfort Selena, until she heard the final sentence and stood up. She felt a knot form in her stomach and a wave of unease flooded through her. 'Killed who?...Killed who Selena?!' she demaned, gripping the womans shoulder and shaking her hard.

Selena instantly regretted what she had said and did not know how to take it back. She saw the change in Gail instantly, just like she did when she threw her into the Trinity River and she tried to back away; however, Gail's grip on her shoulders was too strong.

'Judith Temple, you meant her right?...But your life was perfect after that, as he had groomed you to teach his son. So, who else?...who else?!' she shouted, unable to control her anger and ready to release her darkness.

Suddenly a loud cry traveled on the wind and caught Gail's ears, the sound made her stop what she was doing and pull back her darkness. When she turned around she saw Abe walking slowly towards her with Luke and she forced a smile.

'You woke him up Rosie, why are you yellin'?' Abe asked concerned.

Gail could not look at Selena, she knew she would break and release her darkness to do whatever it took if she did. Instead she reached for her baby and began to rock him slowly. Luke calmed instantly in his mothers arms and Gail let out a long breath, in an attempt to regain her composure.

'Rosie?' Abe started, but stopped when Gail held up a finger to silence him.

'I better go...I'll grab a ride on the main road' Selena said and rushed off to get away.

Gail continued to rock Luke in her arms and her tense frame relaxed when Abe placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 'I'm alright...but there's something bad coming and I don't think I can close myself off to it'

Abe could see the hurt in her eyes and placed his arm around her. 'Come on, you're both stayin' with me tonight. I'll be damned if that boy tries to say otherwise' he said angrily and led Gail into the house.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas rolled over in his large kingsize bed and opened his eyes when he felt the cold spot beside him. He sat up, glanced around the room and realised that not only had Gail not returned home, the baby had not been here either. Lucas has drank a lot while he was out with Billy and cursed himself for not being aware of his loves location.

Just as he was about to get out of bed and storm out of the room, the telephone on his bedside table began to ring. Lucas stared at it suspiciously for a moment, then picked it up and held it to his ear.

'We're at Abe's, don't come for us' Gail warned, then hung up the phone.

Lucas glared at the telephone in his hand, then replaced the receiver. It was evident from Gail's tone that she was angry and he sensed she was attempting to control her urges, otherwise he would have at least had a visit from a growling Gideon.

Something was not sitting right with him, Gail was clearly fishing for something; however, Selena would not give her anything. Lucas had always been careful to cover his tracks and even if Selena did slip up, he had been careful to ensure she knew nothing about his confirmed kills. So what had Gail so angry that she would not return to his home? It did not make sense and she knew better than to push him, unless she had found something and was attempting to control her emotions.

Lucas sat up in bed and ran his fingers through his hair, he had been close to Selena; however, he never fully confirmed his targets. She may have suspected a lot of them, but he trusted no-one and had not revealed any of his kills. He let out a small laugh and got out of bed, she had nothing on him and this must be some kind of game. He decided he would not be drawn in and started getting ready for work, he would drop by to pick up Caleb and they could head out for breakfast before school.

Lucas pulled his pants on and started to button up his blood red shirt, when his hands froze. He had not confirmed any kill, except one. That had been a mercy killing and it had been unplanned as the task had not been completed by the intended person. The girl had been hit in the head with a shovel; however, she did not die, he could not have left her in that state and had confided in Selena due to his Deputy witnessing the act.

He sat down on the bed and let out a long sigh, she would not have told his secret and if she had Gail would have confronted him straight away. Still, this was not Judith who Gail has no recollection of ever knowing, it was Merlyn Ann who she had grown close to and given her personal protection to. Lucas shook his head and felt his twin rising to the surface, if she suspected him of that crime there would be no going back and it would impact his family significantly.

Lucas stood up and continued to button his shirt, he decided it was about time to give his little school Teacher a visit and find out exactly what was going on.

* * *

Gail sat at the kitchen table with Abe, breast feeding Luke. This stay had been unexpected and she had no supplies with her; therefore, she had no choice but to feed her boy in the natural way.

'That is a beautiful sight' Abe smiled, admiring the bond between mother and son.

'I'm sorry that you have to see this, I could go in the bedroom' she suggested.

Abe waved off her suggestion and continued to eat his oatmeal. He was happy that his Rosie was comfortable enough feed her baby in front of him and felt a twinge of anger towards Lucas, for putting her in this position. She had not outwardly told him that his friend had done something wrong and he knew she would never put him in the middle of anything between them; however, he could not help but feel annoyed at his friend, for letting that school Teacher be alone with his Rosie.

Lucas had always been a proud man, who liked to display his trophies subtly around town. Although it was not common knowledge, the important people knew he had a connection with the Teacher and Lucas liked to parade his dominance around the place. Abe had no doubt that Lucas had believed he could control whatever his Rosie was up to with his ex; however, it was obvious that it backfired and now here she was, clearly trying to figure out her next move.

'Stop it' Gail ordered calmly, cursing her ability to read his mind. She had not intended Abe to get involved and here he was, getting angry at his friend because of her.

'I ain't doin' nothin' Rosie' Abe said defensively.

'Well you can go do your nothin' somewhere else...' she sighed, '...He hasn't done anything wrong that I can prove, so you have no reason to be angry at him'

'You suspect somethin' though don't you?' Abe asked knowingly.

Gail took a deep breath and shot her Uncle a look of warning. 'You know me better than to share my suspicions with the Sheriff's oldest friend...Even if we are family, I'm not that stupid'

Abe let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'I ain't tryin' to cause you trouble or get involved'

'Good...so when he inevitably comes around later, you can tell him that you know nothing' she advised.

'Well I don't' Abe snapped, then stood up and started to head to his bedroom to get dressed.

'Where do you think your going?' Gail asked, as she covered her exposed breast and started to wind Luke.

'The Store ain't gonna open itself Rosie...It's about time I got back to work' he said defiantly.

Gail laughed and stood up, then began pacing around the kitchen rocking Luke. 'You'll do nothing of the sort...I stole your assistant and it's only right that I replace her. So, until I do you will sit down and relax yourself. That's an order'

Abe went to protest, then saw the stern look of warning in her eyes. He knew better than to push her when she got like this; therefore, he chose to behave and not cause her any problems. 'Alright, but you're stayin' here with me to rest up with your boy...You had a rough night last night and you will be feelin' it at some point today'

Gail nodded her acceptance of the terms and thought it might do her some good spending time away from anything Lucas Buck related.

* * *

Merlyn sat in the kitchen, staring at the clock on the wall. It was past 8:15am and no-one had arrived to take Caleb to school. Merlyn was starting to become agitated when Matt entered the kitchen and her demeanor instantly softened. 'We didn't get out secret rendezvous last night' she whispered.

Matt glanced towards the front room, to confirm Caleb was sat in there with his bowl of cereal. 'I was busy and I hear you were to...How do you feel about your career change?'

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'To be honest Gail put me to work so fast, I didn't have time to worry about it'

Matt smiled and poured himself a cup of coffee. 'That's the best way, just dive in head first and see where you end up...Did you see Gail later on?'

'Nah...' Caleb said entering the kitchen, '...We were left here on our own until you came back'

Matt watched Caleb suspiciously, he had still not fully come to terms with the fact that he was Lucas Buck's son. 'Well I was glad of the company last night, it was nice being back together again'

Caleb smiled and sat down at the kitchen table. 'So, any word on who's drivin' me to school?'

'Was there ever any doubt son?' Lucas asked, as he casually strolled into the kitchen.

Matt stared at the man with disdain, then turned towards the kitchen window and looked out into the backyard.

'Where's Gail?' Merlyn asked, concerned.

'At Abe's house apparently, it looks like I'll be your chauffeur this mornin''

'You're not taking her anywhere' Matt stated bluntly.

Lucas laughed and regarded Matt with amusement. 'You know, Gail was in your office for a while yesterday...What type of examination where you completin'? Did you find the bite marks on her lower back? God only knows what activity she was doin' when she got those' he goaded.

Caleb sensed this was an adult conversation and left the room to get ready for school.

Matt turned around to face Lucas, then felt a soft hand on his arm.

'Quit messin' around Lucas, why are you here and she ain't? It's not like her to just abandon us all here' Merlyn stepped in.

Lucas stood tall in front of Matt when he addressed Merlyn. 'Honestly I don't know Missy, last I heard she was out drinkin' with Selena...You wouldn't know about what she was fishin' for with that ol' ex of mine, would you Harvard?'

Matt took a deep breath to control his anger. He knew Gail was trying to get more information on Judith Temple; however, she had not confided in him about how she was going about it.

'I guess not, judging by this awkward silence...' Lucas sighed, then turned towards Merlyn. '...If you want a ride, be ready in 5. I'll go wait in the car'

'What's goin' on Matt' she asked, when she sensed Lucas had left the house.

Matt sighed and shook his head. 'Nothing...If you insist on taking up with him in the future, keep that information away from me' he said irritated and headed back to Gail's old bedroom.

Merlyn took a deep breath and looked towards Caleb when he came back down the stairs. 'Come on, let's not keep him waitin' in case he chooses to leave without us' she forced a smile, then led Caleb out of the house.

* * *

Selena sat in her car outside her house, with her head resting on the steering wheel. She had drank so much again last night and she did not trust herself driving to school; however, Billy had already left and she had limited options available to her.

She cursed herself for allowing herself to get so drunk and could not bare to think back to what she had revealed last night. She needed to focus on the problem at hand and getting to her place of work was the priority.

A quiet knock on her driver side window made her jump and she turned her head to see Caleb stood smiling at her. Selena inhaled deeply, then wound her window down and forced a pleasant smile. 'Morning Caleb, what are you doing in this neck of the woods so early?'

Caleb glanced behind him, then shrugged. 'We thought you might need a ride, considerin' your fragile state' he smiled.

Selena narrowed her eyes at the boy and regarded him curiously. 'We? and since when do you comment on your Teachers state?' she asked, trying to hide her irritation.

'When Lucas Buck coaches him on what to say...' Merlyn said from behind Caleb, '...If you're getting in come on, I ain't allowin' you people to make me late on my first official day at the paper'

Caleb watched as his sister walked back towards the navy blue Crown Victoria, then held his hand out to his Teacher. He was freezing, but he assured Lucas he would get her in the car and that's what he was going to do.

Selena let out a long sigh, then got out of her car and took Caleb's hand. She allowed him to lead her to the front passenger side of Lucas' car and shot her ex an irritated glance before getting in.

It was a long ride to the Elementary school and Selena was relieved that Lucas was talking to the children, rather than her. He appeared the perfect vision of a family man, dropping his children off wherever they needed to go; however, she knew the real Lucas Buck and was not fooled by this display. When he pulled up at the school she reached for the door handle and felt his hand grip her knee. Caleb said his goodbyes and rushed to meet Boone at the entrance, leaving Selena with Lucas and the girl.

Lucas turned his attention to Selena and she backed away from the menacing look in his eyes. 'Careful Sheriff, you wouldn't want to show your true colours when we have company' she tried to sound confident.

Lucas let out a small laugh and glanced towards Merlyn. 'Me and M go way back, don't we Missy?'

Merlyn rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. 'Don't act as though I'm an accomplice here Lucas...Just let her go so I can get to the paper' she sighed.

'Oh I'll get you there in plenty of time so you can impress your new boss, but you might wanna be around for this'

'Around for what?' Merlyn asked impatiently.

'For what indeed Selena?' Lucas asked, trying to control his twin who was clawing to be released.

Selena felt all eyes on her and her defenses came up. 'I don't know what you're talking about' she lied.

Lucas smiled devilishly and stroked her cheek gently. 'You remember what happened the last time to lied to me?' he warned.

Merlyn had witnessed Lucas slap Selena when she was a ghost, after she had lied about luring a then pregnant Gail to Caleb. She did not approve of this behaviour; however, she should not get involved and chose to look out of the window at the children playing.

When Selena realised the girl behind her was going to be of no help, she took a deep breath to help her regain her focus. 'Look, this isn't my fault!...' she snapped defensively, '...If you're looking for someone to blame, point that finger of yours at the lovely Miss Emory'

Merlyn's attention was brought back to the pair at the mention of Gail. 'What are you talking about? Just spit it out before he decides to take matters into his own hands, you know what he's capable of Selena'

Lucas' smile grew wider, this was much more effective with Merlyn Ann in the car. It was taking all of his strength to control his anger; however, Merlyn appeared to be taking control of the interrogation.

Selena saw something dark flash over Lucas' eyes and gave in. 'Fine...I didn't say a name, but I was drunk and she manipulated me'

'Manipulated you to say what Selena?' Lucas asked through gritted teeth.

'Spit it out Selena...can't you see what he's itchin' to do?' Merlyn warned.

Selena backed up further into the door and did not take her eyes off Lucas. 'I said you killed her!...' she snapped, '...You killed her and then that's when Gail returned'

Merlyn watched the display curiously, she had wanted Gail to find out about something that Lucas had done and the fact that she might actually do just that amused her. Then the ball dropped and she realised who Selena was referring to, suddenly Merlyn felt a knot form in her stomach and a wave of nausea came over her.

'You understand now?' Lucas asked Merlyn, without taking his eyes off Selena.

Merlyn felt anger begin to rise within her, she was just starting to feel like she belonged and the secret of how she truly died could ruin it all.

If Gail proved Lucas had murdered her, it would turn their world upside down. Selena giving her a thread of suspicion would only cause Gail's intrigue to spike and she would see this as a challenge. She knew her cousin would not rest until she found the truth, that would result in Gail no longer trusting her and she could not allow that. 'Get out Selena' Merlyn ordered, then moved to the front passenger seat next to Lucas.

Lucas watched as Selena rushed into the safe confines of the school and let out a deep agitated breath. He had never envisioned his life going this way; therefore, it had never occurred to him that someone could be as manipulating as him and persuade Selena to unwillingly give up information on him.

'I will not help you, I've made that clear' Merlyn stated, she could not allow herself to get involved with Lucas as it went against everything she stood for.

Lucas could sense the girls worry and smiled. 'I don't need your help, I'd never expect you to stoop to that level Merlyn Ann...What I do expect is for you to stay out of this, do you understand?'

Merlyn nodded, she would not help either him or Gail when it came to the subject of her death.

* * *

Matt walked up the porch steps to Abe's house cautiously, Gail had called him and advised that she would be working out of this residence today if he needed her; therefore, he chose to visit his friend and ensure everything was alright. Before Matt could knock, the front door swung open and Abe stared at him disapprovingly, as he rocked the baby in his arms.

Matt watched as Abe started walking away from him and assumed that was an invitation for him to enter. He followed Abe from a safe distance and nodded his appreciation when he saw Gail through the kitchen window on the back porch. He opened the door slowly, so not to disturb her and gave a warm smile when she spotted him. 'I hope I'm not interrupting anything important'

Gail smiled and closed her laptop. 'It looks like your girlfriend has a way of convincing people to open up, her interviews are great for a beginner'

'I don't have a girlfriend' Matt stated defensively.

'Keep telling yourself that Doctor' Gail said sarcastically, as she got up and headed down the porch steps.

Matt followed his friend, unsure why she would chose to be outside in winter.

'I'd rather stay away from prying ears' she sighed, as she paced around the large backyard.

'What's going on Gail? Why are you here and not at your usual place of residence?'

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Because I want to bite his head off and that's inappropriate for a baby to witness'

'You found something on Judith?' Matt asked excitedly.

Gail let out a long sigh and continued to pace. 'Judith isn't my concern...there's something I missed'

'You've had me running around trying to locate evidence about Judith's death and now she isn't your concern?' Matt asked in disbelief.

'She made her bed, just like I did...' Gail shrugged, '...Have you seen M today?'

Matt regarded Gail suspiciously, something was definitely wrong and he did not like the change in her attention. 'M stayed with Caleb at your place...I kept out of their way'

'I don't care about that...' Gail waved him off, '...Where is she now?'

'Lucas took her to work...' Matt shrugged, '...I assumed that was authorised by you'

Gail rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh. 'I bet he did...I don't need to authorise anything Matt, she's a big girl'

'Yes she is' he said, still unsure how he should behave when Gail mentioned the girl.

'Relax, you've not done anything with her so you can just behave in your usual pleasant way...' Gail smiled and linked her arm around his. '...Can you do me a favour?'

Matt smiled at his friend and strolled around the garden with her. 'Depends what it is and how much trouble it'll get me in' he said sarcastically.

Gail stroked his arm affectionately and let out a small laugh. 'You think I'd get you in trouble? No, this doesn't impact a living person...I just want the file you have on Meryn Ann Temple' she said sweetly.

Matt stopped in his tracks and stared a Gail distrustfully. Something deep down inside was screaming at him to be careful and he had erased that particular person from his mind. 'Gail I...'

'Shush...' Gail said, placing her finger gently on his lips. '...Just get me the file Matt'

Matt stared deep into Gail's eyes and backed up when he caught a glimpse of malice. He watched as his friend grinned devilishly at him and returned to the house, leaving him to ponder over her request.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Lucas sat behind the desk in his office, reading through incident reports. Ben had an annoying habit of placing them on his desk each week in the hopes that he would take action and for once Lucas chose to review them properly, as he needed a distraction.

He had gone to Abe's house to check on Gail and Luke earlier. His old friend had warned him against bothering Gail, who was showering at the time and let him stay for 10 minutes with his son before pushing him out of the door. Lucas did not like being away from his son; however, he knew Abe was attempting to help him and sensed an interaction with Gail at that time would not have ended well. So here he was, doing his actual day job and hoping it would distract him from the inevitable confrontation that was due to come his way.

A small knock on his door took his attention away from the papers in front of him. When he looked up he saw Selena saunter into his office and shook his head in exasperation. 'You're brave, I thought you'd be hidin' under Billy boy by now' he smirked, trying to hide his irritation.

Selena swallowed hard and attempted to stand her ground. She knew Lucas would come for her sooner or later and she had decided to just face him, to get her punishment over with. 'This isn't my fault Lucas, you need to know that' she said, feigning confidence.

Lucas let out a small laugh and stood up from his seated position. As he slowly came from around the desk he smiled when Selena backed into a corner, in an attempt to protect herself. Lucas leaned back against the front of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest; however, before he had a chance to lay into Selena, he felt his twin stir and Gail appeared at the open office door.

'Am I interrupting something?' Gail asked sweetly and stared deep into his eyes.

Lucas took a sharp intake of breath, her presence here was a surprise and he had not been prepared for her yet. He glanced over her body from head to toe, admiring her figure. She was wearing a knee length cream floral dress, with a small denim jack and a pair of ankle boots and her hair was clamped up, with a few loose strands laying over her face. 'That outfit ain't fittin' for this type of year, we wouldn't want you catchin' a cold'' he said in his best southern gentlemen tone.

Gail laughed and walked towards Selena, who was cowering in the corner. She gave the woman's hand a small squeeze, reassuring her that she remembered she had offered to protect her previously and then turned her attention towards Lucas. 'It appears that this is all I had in my current place of residence, except maternity clothes that is' she said and approached Lucas' position.

Lucas placed his hands on her hips, then stroked her belly tenderly. 'I'm sure there's somethin' we could do to ensure those clothes don't go to waste' he suggested.

Gail stared at him in disbelief for a moment, then realised that this was a diversion tactic; however, she would not allow him to distract her. 'That's a conversation for another time sweetheart' she smiled sweetly and ran her hands down his chest.

Lucas inhaled deeply at the feel of her long nails scraping down his chest, through his shirt. He sensed he was on dangerous ground here; however, he was intrigued at the way she was playing this. 'I wouldn't be averse to more, but you're right...this is a private conversation and not for our current company' he advised, referring to Selena.

Gail laughed and shook her head, 'Since when do you care about what our current company hears? Your little confidante knows you inside out'

Lucas regarded Gail suspiciously, as her hands trailed to his pants. He could not figure out what her game was here, or why she was unfazed by Selena's presence in his office.

Gail smiled mischievously and unzipped his pants. 'I'm just honouring your promise Sheriff' she whispered, then unzipped his pants and removed his manhood. She signaled Selena to close the door and beckoned the woman towards them.

Selena approached cautiously, she did not know what was going on; however, she sensed the darkness in the room and could not tell whether it was radiating off Lucas or Gail. It was not like her adversary to be so accepting of her presence with Lucas and she did not know what the safest course of action was for her.

Gail sensed Selena's distrust and stroked her cheek gently, it was taking all of her strength to remain calm and collected; however, she would not falter from her plan and placed a soft kiss on the woman's lips.

Lucas watched as the soft kiss became more intense and felt his manhood harden. This turn of events was not something he would ever have expected and he was finding it hard to concentrate his thoughts on anything other than his two most trusted women before him.

Gail broke free from this kiss and bit her lip playfully, then gently pushed Selena to her knees in front of Lucas. She tangled her fingers in Selena's hair and forced her hatred down, when she allowed the woman to take her lover into her mouth.

Lucas let out a hoarse breath when Selena's mouth closed around his manhood and began to suck. He reached out to caress Gail's face and then pulled her to him for a passionate kiss. He savoured the taste of her tongue in his mouth, then gripped her hair tight and pulled her head back. He looked longingly into her eyes and shook his head in mock scorn at what she was allowing Selena to do.

Gail felt a warmth flow through her when she sensed what he wanted, then placed her hand on Selena's shoulder and pulled her away from her lover. Gail knelt down in front of him and gently pulled down his foreskin, she stared up at him teasingly then nipped at his tip and took him into her mouth. She tasted Selena's saliva on him and disregarded her disgust at herself for initiating this behaviour. She pushed down her ill thoughts and sucked in the way she knew he liked, it did not take long for him to explode in her mouth and she swallowed the salty remnants of him.

Lucas pulled her to her feet and kissed her forcefully, this questionable behaviour tapped into his animal side and he was not ready to let her go just yet.

Gail pulled away from Lucas, then pushed him further back on the desk and climbed on top of him. She had known what she came here to do and had forgone wearing panties, to enable her plan to go more smoothly. She smiled when he ran his hands up her thighs under her dress and realised she had come prepared, Lucas liked knowing she craved him and it made his desire for her stronger.

Lucas gripped her bare behind tight as she hovered over his manhood, then let out a loud moan when she sat down on him. An intense burst of pleasure flowed through him when his manhood was forced deep inside of her and he watched in awe as she rode him hard.

Gail attempted to control her moans as she took him how he liked, it was hard to be mad at this man when he made her feel so good; however, she would not lose focus and she signaled for Selena to come close. When the woman approached obediently, she reached back for her hands and placed them on her hips. Gail dug her nails into Lucas' chest through his shirt, then placed his hands on top of Selena's to complete the connection.

Lucas gripped Selena's hands tight, as the intense pleasure started to become too much. He sensed their climax forming together and stopped himself from calling out when he came inside of her, to ensure his Deputies were not alerted to what they were doing. When Gail's movements slowed and she bit her lip to stifle her call, he pushed Selena's hands off her hips and pulled Gail down to him.

Gail embraced their passionate kiss, then nipped at his bottom lip hard. 'Your score with her is settled...Don't ever involve me in your manipulations again, without gaining my permission' she whispered in his ear, then climbed down from him and cleaned herself up.

Selena let out a long breath, she could not hide her arousal at what she had just been allowed to be part of. She followed Gail willingly when she grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the Sheriff's Station, sensing she was safer with her.

Lucas lay back for a few moments trying to take in what had just happened, then stood up and cleaned himself up before making himself presentable. Gail had not brought up anything to do with Merlyn Ann and has showed him that she was still with him, so he might have overestimated her desire to uncover his secrets.

He smiled to himself and grabbed his jacket, it was time that he picked up Caleb and brought him home.

* * *

Matt paced outside Gail's house, hoping not to see Lucas' navy blue Crown Victoria turn down the road. He was becoming paranoid and had refused to meet his friend at the Buck Mansion.

'Calm down, I bought us some time alone' Gail said, as she came up the porch steps.

'I thought you'd be staying at Abe's for a while, considering Lucas has clearly done something to upset you' Matt said and sat down on the porch step.

Gail sighed and sat down next to him. 'He couldn't upset me if he tried. Now anger, that's a more suitable emotion...Did you get it?' she asked impatiently.

Matt regarded his friend suspiciously and kept a tight grip on the file underneath his jacket. 'What do you want with it Gail?...I need to know'

Gail turned towards Matt and pushed down her irritation, she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and forced a sweet smile. 'I'm just checking up on my family, that's all...That girl is dead, you're not betraying anyone's confidence here'

Matt let out a long sigh, then handed over the file. If he could not trust his best friend, who could he trust? 'My notes are all in there, I was looking into some discrepancies when I was carted off to Juniper...Be careful Gail' he warned and gave her a look of concern.

Gail stared at the file curiously for a moment, then smiled at her friend. 'Go meet your mystery companion, you don't want to leave her alone in the cold for too long' she said knowingly.

Matt stared at his feet to hide his embarrassment, then placed a gentle kiss on Gail's cheek and started to walk away.

Gail glanced behind her at the home she missed dearly, then sighed and tried to think of a suitable hiding place for her newly acquired file.

* * *

Lucas had stopped by Abe's house after picking Caleb up and was pleased to see that Gail had taken their son home. He had chosen to give her some space at Abe's suggestion and took Caleb for a bite to eat, before heading home with some Chinese food for him and his love to share.

It was late when he pulled up in the driveway of his home and he sent Caleb straight to his room, after gaining a promise that he would leave his cousin alone for the night. Lucas was glad to have Caleb here with them; however, he needed some alone time with his love, to establish what she knew and how she was going to proceed.

Lucas sensed Gail in his Study and headed in that direction with the food. He opened the door quietly and spotted Gail curled up on his grandfather chair in front of the fireplace, reading a book. He smiled when he saw she was only wearing a loose black lace vest and a small pair of dark grey shorts, he had suspected she would be on edge after today's activities; however, she appeared relaxed and content.

'It's about time you returned with food, I'm starving' she said, not taking her eyes off her book.

Lucas watched her for a moment, then smiled. 'I'm not surprised you worked up an appetite...How do you feel?' he asked curiously.

Gail placed her book on the small table beside the chair and let out a long stretch. 'You mean after I allowed your ex to be involved in our intimate moment? I'm peachy' she sighed, then got up and took a box of noodles from the bag he was holding.

Lucas regarded her suspiciously, as she paced around the study eating noodles. He sensed her darkness close to the surface and knew she was hiding her true feelings from him. 'Maybe we should allow her in more often...' he suggested, trying a different tactic. '...You appeared to enjoy her presence'

'You think so?...' Gail asked angrily, then she realised what he was doing and miled sweetly. '...It didn't take her long to make you hard, maybe you need the added stimulant to get you working effectively'

Lucas inhaled deeply at the insinuation that he required assistance, then walked towards her and took the food from her hand. 'You were ripe for the takin' after that kiss with her love, maybe you require something different to wet your whistle these days' he goaded and began eating her noodles.

Gail felt her rage building and attempted to control it. His attitude infuriated her and she wanted nothing more than to bash his face in, god knows she felt like she had the fists for the fight; however, she had instigated the act in his office and she had no-one to blame but herself. She was disappointed at the lengths she would go to distract him from her true course and was starting to wonder whether she was that different from him. She had proven she was capable of his type of manipulation and her willingness to use another person in such a way was concerning.

Lucas sensed the conflict within her and realised her good side was attempting to shine through. Although he wanted to push her dark side to see what she was capable of, he did not want to hurt her and she was not ready for the full transformation yet. He needed to ensure she could handle what would come next when she chose to embrace her darkness fully.

Without thinking, he put down the box of noodles and led her towards the chair she had been curled up on. He sat down and pulled her onto his knee, then began kissing and sucking her neck softly.

Gail allowed herself to be controlled and leaned back into him. She was so angry and sensed this was his way of attempting to strip away her bad feelings. She appreciated his efforts, even though she did not fully trust his actions and she inhaled deeply when he wrapped his arms protectively around her stomach.

'That's better, just you and I stripped down' he whispered in her ear.

Gail bit her lip as he nipped at her ear and then placed her hands over his. 'You've never been stripped down in your life Lucas, don't feel like you have to pretend to protect me' she sighed.

Lucas bit back his irritation and tried to relax. This was a peaceful moment and he wanted to enjoy it, even if this tender behaviour was not in his nature. 'I wouldn't have to protect you if you stopped defyin' me Gail...' he whispered and continued kissing her neck softly, '...I will protect our family at all costs'

'Including getting rid of me?...' she asked sweetly and reached underneath herself to stroke his trapped manhood. '...I will get you Lucas, it's only a matter of time...and when I do prove that you've hurt someone I really care for, I can't guarantee what my reaction will be'

Lucas let out a low moan when he felt her hand brush against his hard manhood. This would usually be the time that he threw her down and took her; however, he was finally starting to get somewhere with her. Instead he reached inside her soft shorts and began playing with her sweet spot, he smiled when she leaned further back into him and did not try to pull away.

'If I did hurt someone that you truly care for, I apologise...' he panted, trying to keep his focus. '...You have to understand that I was different previously and I didn't know you for a long time'

Gail let out a low aroused moan, as he teased her with his fingers. She could not believe he was apologising to her and they were finally having a truthful conversation. Gail shifted on top of him allowing her access to unzip his pants and take full hold of his hard manhood, then lay back into him and stroked her nose gently on his cheek. 'I acknowledge what you're saying and I appreciate your honesty...' she panted, '...but that doesn't excuse acts you did in the past, especially if they hurt my family'

Lucas sensed how ready she was for him and quickened his movements, if they did not get to the bottom of this soon he was bound to explode. 'Judith was your family...' he whispered in her ear, '...What happened with her was a tragedy, unavoidable but sad all the same. You have your suspicions and you had no problems laying with me every night for the past month, even though you suspected me of being responsible for Judith's death. What's so different now?'

Gail closed her eyes and pushed down her climax, she was not ready to give in just yet and she quickened her movements on his manhood. 'Judith was a grown woman who was mature enough to make her own choices, if she let you into her life then that's on her...but when an innocent young girl is brought into the firing line just so the pawns can be moved around in this game of yours, then I begin to care'

'Even if she doesn't Gail?' he asked, struggling to hold down his urges.

'So you admit it? Just say it Lucas and then it's done' Gail panted and tightened her grip on his manhood.

Lucas was tired of playing, this had gone too far and it was clear that there was no reasoning with her; therefore, he removed his hand from her shorts, pulled his manhood free of her grip and forced her to the floor. Gail tried to struggle out of his grasp and Lucas forced his weight on top of her, then held her hands above her head effortlessly. 'You really want me to admit it Gail?...Bring your world down around you, hurting the people you hold closest to you?' he asked.

Gail stared defiantly into his eyes, she sensed his guard had returned like hers had and her anger started to grow. 'You haven't got the balls to admit what you've done...The high and mighty Lucas Buck would never admit his true kills to another person' she spat out knowingly.

Lucas regarded her cautiously, he did not know how she had dug that information from his mind; however, he would guard his thoughts more securely going forward. 'You know what? Challenge accepted. You wanna take me on then go for it...you'll be in for a world of pain but don't ever say I didn't warn you'

Gail smiled mischievously and held his gaze. 'Bring it on Lucas' she goaded.

Lucas turned her over onto all fours, then ripped down her shorts and thrust his manhood inside her roughly. He pounded in and out of her, relieving his frustration and spanked her behind hard. 'This is how you truly see me, how does it feel Gail?' he asked, tangling his hand in her hair and pulling her head back to meet his eyes.

Gail pushed down her pain and stopped herself from calling out. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting her and embraced the pleasure of this rough sex, as her darkness had taught her to do previously. She would be lying if she denied being turned on and this was the man she had initially fallen for after all. She felt her intense climax building within her and called out when it hit her hard. She smiled when he called out her name as he came and felt him explode within her.

Lucas pulled out of her, then lay on his back in front of the fireplace and pulled her to his chest. This woman was infuriating and she made him crazy; however, she was his. He smiled when she relaxed on his chest and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. 'It's all out in the open now Darlin', there's no taking it back' he sighed.

Gail nodded and stroked his chest tenderly. He was now aware of exactly what she would be looking in to and part of her was relieved. She did not know what he was going to do to her; however, this was their game and she would not back down.

-The End-


End file.
